Metal cover for automobile tires



ug l8, 1936. F. D. HANSEN E-r-AL 2105082 I METAL COVER FOR AUTOMOBILETIRES Original Filed July 15, 1929 2 Sheets-#Sheet l All@ 18, 1935- F.D. HANSEN ET AL. l 051,02

METAL COVER FOR AUTOMOBILE TIRES i Original Filed July l5, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 j a Y L95@ i936 7 1L @7M/M@ VWS .in tute for the flexiblecover of waterproof material degrees of transverse and circumferentialcurva- Patenteol ug. 18, 1936 iiniirrcsrn'ies @Partnr oFFicE METAL COVERFR AUTMOBILE TIRES Frederick D. Hansen and Herbert W. Tinker, Milwaukee,Wis., assignors, by mesne assignments, V to Lyon Incorporated, Detroit,Mich., a corporation of Delaware Original application July 15, 1929,Serial No.

378,309, now Patent No. 1,937,114, dated November 28, 1933. Divided andthis application July 18, 1930, Serial No. 468,886

,Y 6 Claims. (Cl. 150-54) e Our invention relates to metal covers forauto- Figs. and '7 are sections along the lin-es 5-5 mobile tires. and1-1, respectively, in' Fig. v2; l e

The principal object of our invention is to pro- Fig. 6 illustrates amodification of the structure vide a cover of the non-flexible type forencasing shown in Fig. 5.

5 the spare tires of motor vehicles, which is char- The numeral I0designates our improved tire 5 acterized by ease of handling, both inapplication cover which is preferably formed of metal and to and inremoving from a tire, an attractive apcomposed of two parts II and I2,see Fig. 3, pearance and a simplicity of construction. appropriatelyshaped and united as hereinafter Our invention is intended gene-rallyasa substidescribed. The part I I is formed according to the now incommon use as a protective device for f tures required. It is providedwith a ridge 2S 10 spare tires and is concerned more particularly alongits`outer edge. with a metallic casing. As a matter of appear- The partI2 of the cover is rolled and bent ance, it is highly desirable toapproximate closefrom a separate sheet according to the degree of ly thedual curvature of atire, which operative circumferential curvaturerequired and also to 15 requirements render impractical the productionthe degree of transverse tread curvature required, f of a metalliccasing from a single piece of mateas indicated by the numeral I1 in Fig.3. The rial. Due to the necessity of bending the metal, peripheralportion I1 is provided with an offset both around the circumferentialprofile and inridge portion I9 extending along the edge thereof wardlyin the direction of the axisof the tire to for its full length. 'Thepart I2 of the cover also 20 l0 conform to the transverse tread profilethereof, a formsl an annular shield 20 which extends insmooth,undistorted bending could hardly be Wardy from-the portion I1 and iscurled along the achieved without providing one edge with a pluinneredge thereof, as at 2I, to present a nished rality of notches, asolution which obviously would appearance.' detract from the appearanceof thefinished article As pointed out in our parent application it 2r,and entail difficult manufacturing operations. would be impractical froma production stand- 0 Accordingly, it is one of the expressed objectspoint, if not impossible, to form a metal tire cover of the invention toprovide ametal tire cover havof this dual curvature from a single ypieceof ing a portion curved circumferentially and transmetal, but that `itis a relatively simple matter to VelSelY t0 COIlOIm Substantially l0 thetread, 0f form the two parts separately as disclosed in that the tireand another portion adapted to form a application. i 30 side shield, thecover constituting two pieces hav- The generalv profile of the cover, asshown in ing marginal Overlapping ribs permanently Figs. 1 and 2, isgenerally parti-circular, the secured together by concealed means. loweredge of the cover being defined by the end Another object of ourinvention is to construct edges 22 and 23 of the parts II and I2,respective- 5 the metal tire cover for use on a tire mounted on 1y,which together are shaped to conformto the 35 01 adjacent a fender Oi*Tunning board of an running board 0r fender 0f avehicle', automobile, sothat the cover may be removed The parts II and `I2 of the cover havingbeen iirst without the tire. More particularly the formed es abovedescribed, they are united by lower portion of the cover and the loweredge is waging the ridge I9 of the part I2 in overlapping shaped toconform to that of the running board or e remmen tu the ridge 26 0f thepart II. The parts 40 The above obl In the drawings:

cover applied to a tire on an automobile; a flat metal strip, is securedwithin a portion of 55 fender. II and I2 will then be permanentlysecured to- This application is a divisional of'our copend- .gm-,her byConcealed means in any approved maning application Serial No. 378,309filed July l5, nerbut preferably by Spot, We1ding-- VThe over- 1929 andpatented Nov. 28, 1933, No. 1,931,114. lapping ribs'not-bn1y Vfmm anartistic molding 'eats .of our riventton Wm be Set extending around thecover, but alsoserveas a forth in the following specification, referencebe ng had to the accompanying drawings and the neat concealed jointbetween the twoparts', the i f novel means by which said objects areeffectuated Spot Welded pomt's bemg also concealed and non protruding.will be definitely pointed out in the claims. In order to suitablyStrengthen the lower por 50 Figures 1 and 2 are front and rearelevations, tion 0f the cover 940mg the edge 2 3 put at therespectively, of our improved tire cover; same time to permit of aslight yielding move- Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Fig 2;ment for a purpose hereinafter explained, a re- Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview, illustrating the nre enforcing member 24. preferably in the formof bracket beinglformedfof;

of the lower 'portionof the-cover. ing having been sofplacedinposition,`the straps are then secured" around the edge 23 which is curled as at 25(Fig. 5), said strip bridging the gap 28. The strip 24 may be spotwelded to the part I2.

The remaining length of l.the Iedge Y23 and also the edge; 22-of thepart II may be simplyiolded back as shown in Fig. 7. A rubber cushionstrip 29 encloses the edges 22 and 23 throughout-the length thereof.

If desired, the reenforcing member may beisimply a wire 24a, see Fig. 6,aroundwhich-the edges 22 and 23 may be curled orfrolled. `1heciishionstrip 29a may be round in vcross-section assho'wn in Fig. 6.

As a means of securing the tire cover to the tire, we preferably employ"the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 3 which fis fully desiibd andclaimed in the copending'application off-Herman Hartel, filed June 20,1929, Serial No. 372,283. This arrangement consists of aplurality Qfstrap Lbracketgz-dispose d in=sp aced relation around theinner;periphery ofyjthe` cover, each a exible strip '3Ufextendingtransversely of the tire tread -and secured end portions thereof.Suitable openings 3 YI .are cut; in each -end of th$i1p30and a strap 32is looped through said openings across `said vstrip for attachment"around;the section rvt3 ofa`ti re.

In :applying our improved tire-coverto a-tire, it willbeap'parent-thatthe same may be Abodily moved into position, which action`is facilitated by the slightly 'flaring shape of Vthe part II adjacentthe'end edges-=22; asindicated by: the numeral-21 in Fig. 2, andalsobylthefslightlyflexible nature The coverthe'tire andV arecompletelyconcealed by the annularfshield -2U,-thus enhancing thegeneralappearance of thefcover. "For the purpose of' illustration, we-,have'describedfa cover whichisshaped-for attachment to'a tire carried ina'wellonthe running-board thatthe'lapplication off-the invention is notso ried in'otherfloations.v 'It `'will be understood that one 'f set ofelements and 'fcombiriations" thereof for1` eife'ctuating Iour im-:PI'OVed tre"00v1"ndthemethod of'makmgithe --tecting position,-tol'prevent rattlingfbetweentthe cover andthefendergsaid shieldihavmgagap at the mid-portion"of'its edge,andzmeans secured to said edge'andbidgingts'a'idgap to reinforce vsaid same, the same is intended forpurposeof illusfrom the spiritfof our invention.

Weclaim: 1. Avtire covero'fmetalhlavingacircumferential portion and afronti shield with a lfcentral "opening, the lower edgeof the shield andcircumfere'rtial portion beingfshaped toconformfto'the curvature'of 4thefender'of the vehicle'a'nd@ its yshield having a"'radial gapat th e Amid-p'rtian offthe edge, and a reenforcingj member secured to said edgeandbi'idgingsaid gap. 2. A tire cover of n ietal-lia'vingacircuinferential "portion and' a front "shield vwith" acntral degrees yof circumferential a groove fitting over said edge.

3. A tire cover of metal shaped generally to the and transverse treadvcurvatures ofa tire-with the inner edge of the I coverhaving asmallerradius than the radius of the-tire,fsaid cover having a parti-circularproiilein 'front elevation and having a tread covering portion extendingonly part way, but more J4than. one-half, around the circumference ofthe tire'dning anfedge for contacting With the runa vehicle, and theinner covering portion being slightly flared adjacent said edge forfacilitating applica-tionaof-the .cover to a-tire by a composite axialand downward movement.

ningboard 4or fender of portion of said tread tL1A-protectivemetalliccover for a yspare tire y n l on a-vehiole,` said covercomprising an arcuate at its v'mid-portion,to-provide a pairof movableplate for-'coveringsubstantially the entire exposed 'outer-side Wall `ofthe tireandaparti-circular ri-mportion at the upper part of the plateforcovering onlya portion oft the .entireouter vperiphery "oversubstantially one-half the transverse extent 55-'Incombination withan'automotive vehicle Afenderhaving a wellfor.receivingthe lower .part

ofal-spa're': tire, a'tire cover of'form-retainingv:material.suchf-.asfsheetfmetal `havin a circumor fender of a vehicle,but it will be-understood g edgeV of -thefshield andnsaid'circumferential vportion being fshaped'fto conform ltofthe'. curvatureof thefenderfadjacent the wellzthereof,;and arcushion stripsecured-to'said edge and engageable with the fender? Whenthefcover isinproper tire proassheetf'mtal having ai circumferential-4 portionMand-a front shildof substantially "arcuateiformlongitudinally.thefiloweredge of `thev shield .1 and vto-`receive`thetire. saidfshieldfhavig a substan- .tially radial gap at"and a reinforcing'memb'eresecured- Ltol-said edge and bridging said"'ga-p.

the mid-portion of theedge,

'FREDERICK D. HANSEN. HERBERT-fw. 1'1'INKER.

